Nightfall
Under the dim light of a flickering streetlamp, Naruto waved goodbye to the two girls.
The faint illumination stretched his shadow across the pavement, while the soothing hum of insects filled the air on both sides of the street.
Standing silently beside Uzumaki Kushina, Uchiha Mikoto wore a complex expression. Breaking the quiet, she suddenly asked:
"Kushina, what are you going to do?"
"Huh? What do you mean, what am I going to do?"
"Oh, oh!" Kushina suddenly realized, laughing. "I know what you mean, Mikoto! You're talking about the snacks we bought earlier, right? Don't worry, I'm full. You can have them all!"
"Well then, I'll head home first. See you tomorrow."
Mikoto took the bag of snacks from Kushina's hands, turned, and walked away.
It wasn't until Mikoto's figure disappeared around a corner that Kushina lowered her head and sighed softly.
How could she not understand what Mikoto had truly meant?
Caught between love and friendship, the usually bold and carefree red-haired girl chose to feign ignorance, playing the fool.
Mikoto didn't expose her friend's act, respecting Kushina's decision.
Shaking her head to clear her thoughts, Kushina muttered, "Thinking about this too much might just make my head explode."
"Time to go home and sleep," she said, turning toward her house.
---
Elsewhere
Walking along an empty street, Mikoto carried the bag of snacks in one hand, her mind a chaotic mess.
Her thoughts spiraled, absurdly imagining herself becoming the godmother of Naruto and Kushina's future child.
Suddenly, three kunai flashed through the air, gleaming under the moonlight as they formed a triangular assault on Mikoto.
Thud!
Her eyes sharpened as she leapt backward, the kunai embedding themselves in the spot she had just left.
"A quick reaction for a young Uchiha girl."
A rough voice rang out, tinged with genuine admiration.
"Who's there?" Mikoto demanded, picking up one of the fallen kunai and quickly positioning herself behind a wall for cover.
Her sharp eyes scanned the direction the kunai had been thrown from—empty now, as if no one had been there at all.
"Above!"
A burly figure with dark skin and a Cloud Village forehead protector descended from above, short blade in hand.
Clang!
The kunai collided with the short blade, their clash reverberating through the empty street.
"Sharingan!"
Using the rebound force, Mikoto swiftly widened the gap between herself and her opponent. Her hands flew through a series of seals.
"Fire Style: Great Fireball Jutsu!"
A massive fireball burst forth from her lips, engulfing the hulking figure in midair.
Whether it had any effect, Mikoto couldn't tell. Her priority now was to create enough noise to draw the attention of nearby shinobi.
"Too bad, little Uchiha girl. We're not alone."
A woman's voice whispered in her ear, and before Mikoto could react, darkness overtook her.
---
Naruto's Room
Back home, Naruto lay on his bed, restless and uneasy.
[Ding! Emergency mission issued.]
[Mission: Cloud Village shinobi have abducted Uchiha Mikoto and Uzumaki Kushina. Rescue them.]
[Reward: The other half of Kurama's chakra.]
[Failure Penalty: Loss of your loved ones.]
The system's voice jolted Naruto awake. Without even changing his clothes, he activated the Flying Thunder God Technique.
The scene before him shifted—a metallic tang of blood permeated the air. Several maids lay lifeless in pools of crimson.
The Leaf ninja assigned to protect Kushina had all been slain, each with a single fatal blow.
"The worst-case scenario," Naruto muttered grimly.
His Flying Thunder God kunai wasn't on Kushina.
Clenching his fists, his nails dug into his palms as blood dripped from his hands.
His expression turned so grim it could almost melt into shadow, while a murderous glint flickered in his piercing blue eyes.
A surge of killing intent radiated from him like a tangible wave, shattering the wooden door before him.
Stepping out into the courtyard, he noticed a single strand of crimson hair carried by a passing breeze.
Picking it up, Naruto's lips curved into a cold smile as he murmured hoarsely, "Wait for me, Kushina. Mikoto."
And with that, he disappeared.
---
At the Land of Fire Border
"Is Kushina okay?"
When Mikoto awoke, the scenery was moving rapidly.
Kushina, worn and battered, stared at the ground, her dark eyes heavy with exhaustion and etched with traces of battle.
"Shut it, little Uchiha girl," a voice rang out. Pressing Mikoto down, he turned and asked deferentially, "Lord Dee, we've reached the Fire Country border. Shall we signal for our team?"
The Cloud shinobi addressed as "Lord Dee" paused, his scarred face—a disfigurement running across his wheat-colored skin—contorted with sharp disdain.
"Do I need you to tell me how to do my job, Darui?"
Hearing this, Darui broke into a nervous sweat. "My apologies, Lord Dee. I spoke out of turn."
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